Control device and control method

Abstract

Various embodiments for controlling a state of an autonomous vehicle that is to meet a user are provided. A receiver receives location information indicating a current location of the user. A memory stores a plurality of states of the autonomous vehicle. Each of the states at least one of visually or audibly distinguishes the autonomous vehicle. A sensor senses an environment of the autonomous vehicle to obtain environment information. A distance from a place of meeting the user to the current location of the user is calculated based on the location information. A first state is selected in accordance with the environment information. The autonomous vehicle is caused to change from a second state to the first state when the distance from the place of meeting the user to the current location of the user becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermined distance.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An autonomous vehicle that is to meet a user, the autonomous vehicle comprising:
 a receiver that receives location information indicating a current location of a user terminal; and 
 a processor that, in operation, performs operations including:
 calculating a distance from a place of meeting the user to the current location of the user terminal, based on the location information; 
 causing, when the distance from the place of meeting the user to the current location of the user terminal becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermined distance, the autonomous vehicle to change from a first state to a second state, the first state and the second state being included in a plurality of states, each of the plurality of states being a state in which the autonomous vehicle is at least one of visually or audibly distinguished, the first state including the autonomous vehicle being parked, the second state including the autonomous vehicle being at least one of visually or audibly distinguished from the first state in which the autonomous vehicle is parked; and 
 causing the autonomous vehicle to change from the second state to the first state in which the autonomous vehicle is parked, when the receiver receives a notification from the user terminal indicating that the autonomous vehicle is at least one of visually or audibly distinguished. 
 
 
     
     
       2. An autonomous vehicle that is to meet a user, the autonomous vehicle comprising:
 a receiver that receives location information indicating a current location of a user terminal; and 
 a processor that, in operation, performs operations including:
 calculating a distance from a place of meeting the user to the current location of the user terminal, based on the location information; 
 causing, when the distance from the place of meeting the user to the current location of the user terminal becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermined distance, the autonomous vehicle to change from a first state to a second state, the first state and the second state being included in a plurality of states, each of the plurality of states being a state in which the autonomous vehicle is at least one of visually or audibly distinguished; and 
 causing the autonomous vehicle to change from the second state to the first state, when the receiver receives a notification from the user terminal indicating that the user has autonomous vehicle is recognized. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The autonomous vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the place of meeting the user is a parking lot location, the autonomous vehicle being parked, in the first state, in the parking lot location. 
 
     
     
       4. The autonomous vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processor cannot obtain the location of the autonomous vehicle in the parking lot location. 
 
     
     
       5. The autonomous vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the second state, to which the autonomous vehicle changes from the first state in which the autonomous vehicle is parked when the distance from the place of meeting the user to the current location of the user becomes smaller than or equal to the predetermined distance, includes the autonomous vehicle moving backward a predetermined distance. 
 
     
     
       6. The autonomous vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the second state, to which the autonomous vehicle changes from the first state in which the autonomous vehicle is parked when the distance from the place of meeting the user to the current location of the user becomes smaller than or equal to the predetermined distance, includes the autonomous vehicle moving forward a predetermined distance.